Storm-battered oaks face second threat
In the wake of recent severe storms in Canfield, Boardman and elsewhere, homeowners are busy clearing debris and assessing broken branches. However, university researchers warn that for oak trees, the most significant danger may not have been the wind itself, but a silent, fungal killer waiting for an invitation. Oak wilt, caused by the fungus Bretziella fagacearum, is a devastating disease that clogs a tree’s vascular system. Once infected, the tree’s water-conducting vessels — the xylem — become blocked by fungal mycelium and the tree's own defensive structures called tyloses. ...
